GAINES MILL
June 27th, 1862

During McClellan's retreat from Richmond, known as the Seven Days, many battles and skirmishes were fought. One of the deadliest was fought on 27th June on Turkey Hill, near Gaines Mill.
Lee had expected McClellan to make a stand along the line of Powhite Creek. A. P. Hill sent in his lead brigade against the riflemen clustered around a building known as Gaines Mill and, after a short fire-fight, the enemy retreated. Lee was just thinking that the whole exercise had been far too easy when there was the sound of heavy firing and Hill's lead brigade came back at the double. Hill brought up three more brigades and, as Longstreet was arriving on the right, sent them in again. Again, the heavy firing and again the troops came back, wild-eyed and diminished in number. Two miles east of Gaines Mill was a creek known as Boatswain Swamp. It flowed through a clear, boggy area around the front of the flat-topped Turkey Hill. Three separate lines of infantry, one above the other, were dug in and the crest was bristling with guns. Fitz-John Porter had three divisions and orders to hold the hill while the rest of the army retreated, and he and his men were determined to do just that. Lee ordered Longstreet to make a demonstration on the right while he found out what had happened on the opposite wing where D. H. Hill and Jackson were supposed to be attacking and drawing defenders towards them. He found that Jackson had been delayed by taking a wrong road and had ordered Hill to delay his attack also. Lee ordered Ewell to go in on A. P. Hill's left in support while he sorted things out. A. P. Hill's men, by this time, had had enough. "You need not go in" they said to Ewell's veterans. "We are whipped; you can't do anything". The veterans, unimpressed, went in at the charge. Again, the triple line of fire and the guns roared out, and such men as were still standing promptly ran back. The only solution seemed to be a general assault, all along the line. By 5 o'clock, Lee had all his men in position in a near semi-circular arc; in order from north to south were D. H. Hill, Ewell, Jackson, A. P. Hill and Longstreet. As the attack went in Hood's Texas brigade and Law's brigade punched through into the centre. Porter had, by this time, been re-inforced with another division and was feeling confident. McClellan had sent orders
to hold on until dark and had indicated that he would be sending reinforcements. As the massed attack came in his men fired, reloaded and fired at incredible speed. Hood's and Law's brigades lost nearly a thousand men before they even reached Boatswain Swamp but they took their losses and kept coming and as they closed to bayonet range the Union centre panicked and broke. Fourteen guns and two complete regiments were captured at the point of breakthrough. Still, this was not the same army that had scattered at First Bull Run. In the falling dusk the retreat was made successfully, covered by 6,000 unperturbed regulars under Sykes and two fresh brigades sent in as re-inforcements. Lee had captured 22 guns, over 2,000 prisoners and had control of the field and could thus claim a victory but he had lost 8,500 men in the process. Porter, including the 2,000 prisoners, had lost 6,837 but had held his position throughout the day. It is unlikely that he was unhappy with the result.